Space expert rules out meteors in Derby UFO video

An astronomy expert has given his thoughts on a video of a series of mysterious lights from a number of unidentified flying objects (UFOS) above Derby which have left locals baffled. The footage was captured on the evening of October 8, by construction worker Russell Tilley, from Wilmorton, at an address near the top of Ascot Drive.

The video shows a series of bright lights dancing across the night sky. Several explanations were given online for the display – including the Draconid’s meteor shower that was expected to take place over that weekend, or premature Bonfire Night celebrations – however a professor of astronomy has now given his thoughts on the footage.

Doctor Daniel Brown is an Associate Professor in Astronomy at Nottingham Trent University and has ruled out the lights being caused by a well-timed meteor shower. He said: “Meteors would typically move across the sky in a much quicker manner and then always in a near straight path.

“The Draconid’s meteor shower would also be much harder to spot given that the near full moon was out as well. The trails seen in the video are due to the low light settings of the camera and the brightness of the sources.”

But this wasn’t the only astronomical explanation Doctor Brown ruled out. Space junk, satellites and event planets were all ruled out by the space expert.

“Typically that bright in the sky and also moving fast – but not that fast – are satellites in a near earth orbit, like the international space station or the star link swarms. But all of these again follow straight line trajectories across the sky and never change direction that quickly.

“Planets like Mars [only just rising], Jupiter and Saturn and bright stars are not moving that quickly. So we can exclude that as well.”

Some on social media mentioned the possibility of fireworks being the reason. However Fireworks Derby, in Osmaston Road, supported this view and did not think the lights came from fireworks so the origin of the unusual lights remains mysterious.

A spokesperson for the shop said: “Unless the video is slowed down considerably, no, I don’t think so, as they burn for far too long.

Ultimately, Doctor Brown came to the logical conclusion that the lights were most likely drones, adding: “I think, very likely, we are dealing with pesky drones being flown in formation or chasing each other. Planes would again not show this erratic fast movement.”

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